SUNY Canton’s Bridge Team Continues Tradition of Success at Regional Competition

In the culmination of an entire year of demonstrated engineering aptitude, the SUNY Canton’s American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Student Chapter secured second place at the Upstate Regional American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) Student Steel Bridge Competition recently held at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Troy.

SUNY Canton’s team earned second place overall, losing only to University at Buffalo’s entry. Students also earned second-place awards for construction speed and economy. The team historically finishes in the top slots during their initial showing.

SUNY Canton Associate Professor Adrienne C. Rygel, Ph.D., who serves as a faculty advisor for the team, said the students’ hard work and dedication helped continue the team’s tradition of success.

“We are immensely proud of our team's achievements,” Rygel said. “Their exceptional performance in such a competitive environment speaks volumes about their talent and commitment.”

The competition, which saw participation from universities from Upstate New York and Canada, allowed the SUNY Canton Steel Bridge Team to compete against Cornell University, Syracuse University, Rochester Institute of Technology, and RPI, among others.

“I’m beyond amazed at how our students maintain exceptional rankings when pitted against much larger universities,” said Canino School of Engineering Technology Dean Michael J. Newtown. “It represents the multi-semester culmination of hard work and exemplary teamwork.”

Tying in with the educational component of the overall design and construction of a competition, students take a Steel Bridge Design class taught by Associate Professor Saeid Haji Ghasemali. 

According to the team’s faculty advisors, Miqueas Guerrero of Yonkers, Logan S. McCargar of West Stockholm, and Mathew Greene of Waddington collaborated closely to design the bridge to meet the requirements of the challenge. Greene learned how to weld specifically to construct the bridge during the past two years. 

“Mathew Greene's meticulous craftsmanship played a pivotal role in the team's success,” said Neil A. Haney, an Instructional Support Technician who assists the team with technical considerations. 

The build and load team, comprised of Greene, Nathan A. St. Louis of Morrisonville, George H. Staats of Essex, and Mitch W. Timerman of La Fargeville, demonstrated remarkable efficiency, which contributed significantly to the team’s overall finish.

Dominic E. Hauptman of Corning represented the team in the National Mead Paper Competition with a presentation on the integration of artificial intelligence in civil engineering, garnering praise from the judging panel. Hauptman joined Raiden J. Hansen of Fulton, Ronald J. Wood-Terrance of Bombay, Owen J. Thompson of Ogdensburg, and other team officers to fill vital roles in organizational tasks, including the preparation of the ASCE Annual Report. Other Steel Bridge Team members include Natasha A. Wray of Gouverneur, Jad M. Karoum of Ogdensburg, and Chandradat (Vick) Rampat of Norfolk, Va.

In Addition to Rygel and Haney, faculty and staff advisors include Instructional Support Associates Andrew L. Reiter, Cortney F. Rookey and Assistant Professor Aksel Seitllari.

The Steel Bridge Team is now working toward their AISC National Competition at Louisiana Tech University, where they aim to build on their regional triumph and showcase their engineering prowess among the top technology-focused colleges in the United States.

"Our journey doesn't end here,” Rygel said. “With the support of our alumni, faculty, staff and sponsors, we are determined to continue our winning streak at the national level."